#bookreview – Page 6 – Rosepoint Publishing

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

Nantucket #4

Best Literature & Fiction

Book Blurb:

The beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author brings her Nantucket novels to a brilliant finish: when rich strangers move to the island, social mayhem and a possible murder follow. Can Nantucket’s best locals save the day, and their way of life? Includes special audio content!

Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is about to retire. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce. But when a 22-million-dollar summer home is purchased by the mysterious Richardsons—how did they make their money, exactly?—Ed, Sharon, and everyone in the community are swept up in high drama. The Richardsons throw lavish parties, flirt with multiple locals, flaunt their wealth with not one but two yachts, and raise impossible hopes of everyone they meet. When their house burns to the ground and their most essential employee goes missing, the entire island is up in arms.

The last of Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling Nantucket novels, SWAN SONG is a propulsive medley of glittering gatherings, sun-soaked drama, wisdom and heart, featuring the return of some of her most beloved characters, including, most importantly, the beautiful and timeless island of Nantucket itself.

The audiobook edition features an interview between Elin and her longtime narrator Erin Bennett.

My Review:

I guess I get a bit tired of the uber-rich stories. Those poor people have no clue how the masses live. That must be a serious problem as they have nothing left to do but gossip about each other.

Still, the star of this novel, the major character is Nantucket, a tiny island off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and a summer destination of storied history. Settled in 1641, it was a 19th-century whaling hub that evolved into an exclusive, high-end resort, replete with five-star restaurants, quaint cottages, and cobblestone streets.

I loved the descriptions of the area, the town, the coast, and the food. The characters—not so much.

When the mysterious Richardsons purchase a long vacant mansion and begin deep restoration while hosting exclusive parties, the island inhabitants take notice. Who they were, their history, and where they came from produced speculation that ran the rumor mill for weeks. Mrs. Richardson, in particular, invited the deepest and awestruck circumspection.

The lavish parties and themed beach swims managed to finally produce a twist not seen coming—the fire. A big one. And it happens when holding another party out on the yacht. The personal assistant goes missing.

Finally. Some excitement!

I guess this is the final installment of a series and the first I’ve read and I may not have missed much. I wasn’t thrilled with the characters and tired of the parties. The police chief (I think), looking at retirement, was intended to have a stronger voice but was left in the background. There really wasn’t much of a mystery, not sure it is intended as such or a sub-plot left in layered storylines.

Just could not get into this one. I see mixed reviews from both those new to the author (as I am) to die-hard fans…and many of the latter also disappointed. You may love it for the atmospherics and it does enjoy that aspect.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
ASIN: B0CMFBSVY9
Listening Length: 13 hrs 31 mins
Narrator: Erin Bennett, Elin Hilderbrand
Publication Date: June 11, 2024
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Elin Hilderbrand first discovered the magic of Nantucket in July 1993. Her recipe for a happy island life includes running, writing at the beach, picnics at Eel Point with her three children, and singing “Home, Sweet Home” at the Club Car piano bar. Here’s to Us is her seventeenth novel. [Amazon]

Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa. [Goodreads]

Enjoy Your Sunday!

Crime Writer by Vinnie Hansen #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog #NetGalley

Book Blurb:

In the peaceful California coast city of Playa Maria, CRIME WRITER ZOEY KOZINSKI joins a local police officer for a ride-along in hopes of breaking through her writer’s block. But during a routine traffic stop, the cop is shot, the victim of a brutal homicide.

Zoey realizes she is the only witness and the number one target on the killer’s hit list. PTSD kicks in, sending her into a tailspin. It doesn’t help that she lives on an illegal cannabis farm and that her estranged mother has just arrived. Even the police officer’s widow points a finger at the writer, claiming she was a distraction, and the police department knew it.

Lurking on the fringes is a man who stopped briefly at the crime. Good Samaritan or sinister suspect? For her safety, Zoey needs to find out.

My Review:

I’m fence-sitting on this one. I liked it okay, but didn’t really feel compelled to sit down and finish it up.

It’s one of those that gives you the who as it hooks. That doesn’t mean it’s all over. No. Zoe is up to her eyeballs in the thick of it, having witnessed the killing of the police officer who allowed a ride-along for Zoe, who is experiencing writer’s block.

Unfortunately, not only does she witness the killing, but she is, in turn witnessed. Not the best thing if she wanted to remain hidden and anonymous. Of course, her notes for her book appear to implicate her in the murder of the officer (something his widow latches onto—her being a deadly distraction)…and I always hate that obvious assumption. We know there are so many ways these days to prove it wasn’t her.

Zoe might have had some additional development, although she is not one-dimensional and she has an interesting friend in Harvey. I love the location, beautifully depicted in description as well as the town’s inhabitants. Once she realizes she has been exposed, things get dicey and ramps up the suspense considerably.

You can’t say it isn’t entertaining. I love those small California coastal town settings; they create such a vibe, but you’d better know the town better than the perp if you’re to survive! If you enjoy suspense thrillers, you may very well give this one a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Murder, Psychological Thrillers, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0FMGNWM2D
Print Length: 307 pages
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Source: NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Vinnie Hansen fled the South Dakota prairie for the California coast the day after high school graduation.

A reading addict since childhood, Vinnie is now the author of the Carol Sabala mysteries. The seventh installment in the series, Black Beans & Venom, was a finalist for the Claymore Award. She’s also written two stand-alone novels titled Lostart Street and One Gun as well as over 60 published short stories. Her flash fiction, “Bad Connection,” won the 2015 Golden Donut Award from the Writers’ Police Academy.

Vinnie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Still sane after 27 years of teaching high school English, Vinnie has retired and lives in Santa Cruz, California, with her husband and the requisite cat.

Happy Autumn

Impostor Syndrome: A Thriller by Andrew Mayne #BookReview #TerrorismThrillers

The Specialists Book #2

Book Blurb:

Two fearless investigators unite to stop a media-savvy serial killer from carrying out a cataclysmic crime for all the world to see in a riveting thriller by a Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

The FBI calls on former agent Jessica Blackwood to look at a puzzling crime. A wildlife officer has found the body of a popular YouTuber encased in an obelisk made of salt in a remote refuge. When the agency is tipped off to a second body, that of a TikTok star chained to the bottom of Nevada’s Pyramid Lake—her hands clasped in prayer—Jessica recruits a trusted colleague of her own: Floridian underwater investigator Sloan McPherson.

It appears to be the work of a ritualistic serial killer preying on influencers. That tracks when a third victim—a fantasy-game live streamer—barely survives a pipe bomb attack. But in navigating the social media world of instafame, manipulation, and deception, Jessica and Sloan know how illusory appearances can be. As the threats multiply across the country, they fear they’re playing with something more extreme than they imagined: a killer’s endgame that could be nothing less than apocalyptic.

His Review:

Bodies are showing up in very unusual places! Two are found in Pyramid Lake area east of Reno, Nevada. One of the two bodies was found in the lake, and one was encased in a couple of tons of salt! Why would anyone encase a body in a couple of tons of salt and then dump it where it could be found? Could this be a sign of witchcraft or a cult?

The FBI calls in Jessica Blackwood to help the investigation into this bizarre event and she in turn calls underwater investigator Sloan McPherson. Has a new cult been formed to fight perceived witches in the West? Why would the FBI be called in to this remote area of Nevada to help with such an investigation? And can the purchase of such a large amount of salt be easily tracked?

The author has developed a very interesting insight into some of the strange rituals that are secret. Old ranches and barns dot many areas in this part of the country, but some of these events cannot be hidden by burning the evidence or facilities.

The investigation leads to a faction cloaked in mystery with Jessica and Sloan working together. Then a third victim is found—alive. The victims do have a connection and the team works solidly to build a suspect pool. Plot and pacing move smoothly and the storyline is clever and keeps interest.

This tome is well written but begs the question, why? I found myself wanting more answers to this and other questions! Secrecy is a main pillar of any cult and many religions. This seems true and the story raises more questions than it presents answers. Read and be bewildered! 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Terrorism Thrillers, Conspiracy Thrillers, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN-13: 978-1662522499
ASIN: B0DSLW8Z39
Print Length: 287 pages
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Andrew Mayne is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose books include The Naturalist, a Thriller Award finalist and Black Fall an Edgar Award finalist Black Fall. He’s the star of the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week special Andrew Mayne: Ghost Diver, where he swam alongside great white sharks using an underwater invisibility suit he designed and also was the star of A&E’s Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne. He currently serves as the Science Communicator for OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT and GPT-4.

@AndrewMayne
AndrewMayne.com

Mature man with glasses reading a book on his cell phone. — AI graphic courtesy Gemini

Our Souls at Night: A Novel by Kent Haruf #AudiobookReview #bookclub #TBT

Editors’ pick Best Literature and Fiction

Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Fiction (2015)

I attended the Y Book Club in our area yesterday for their September selection: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf. This book club meets once a month and is very popular. I can see why—the moderator does a great job keeping us to script—and the group is active and friendly.

My Thoughts

An unusual book for the book club in that it’s under 200 pages long. Not so unusual is that it’s a rather sad literary peek at the state of love in aging seniors.

The loneliness in seniors is a theme rapidly becoming popular, although this was written back in 2015, released as I understand it, after the death of the author. This is an in-your-face confrontation with that popular theme, suffered by two who’ve survived the death of their spouses in rather unhappy marriages but now find their homes and lives rather lonely and empty.

Amazingly, it’s Addie Moore who surprises her neighbor, Louis Waters, with an unusual request. They live in a small town, so of course, they will know each other, their families, and history. It’s the solitude of the evening hours that propels Addie to make the proposal to Louis. Shocked, he is rather slow to agree, but does so. The first few nights are awkward.

Frankly, I struggled through the book though the narrator’s delivery was spot on conveying the misery of loss, solitude, and isolation. I loved their little adventures, and particularly when Addie’s grandson was introduced to the narrative, then was crushed by the conclusion, even with the little ray of connection offered at the end.

Book Club Thoughts

The Y Book Club is exclusively made up of women, most of them seniors, a few of them widows. It’s a novel that strikes to the heart of most and as always provided for lively discussion.

Once again, an emotional wallop, depressing, depending on who read and their own stories. It would appear seniors are either portrayed as having too much free fun, food, and adventure, or depressing scenes of the end of years. Ugh.

This was apparently a very successful author who solicited help from his wife for this, his final book, before he died young at age 71. Particularly the last quarter of the book appears to have her heavy contribution to the manuscript.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Book Club rating 3.5 stars

Book Details:

Genre: Literary Sagas, Romance Literary Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 978-1101875902
ASIN: B00PP3DNDI
Print Length: 184 pages
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Kent Haruf - author — Photo courtesy Goodreads

The Author: Haruf was born in Pueblo, Colorado, the son of a Methodist minister. He graduated with a BA from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1965, where he would later teach, and earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa in 1973.

Before becoming a writer, Haruf worked in a variety of places, including a chicken farm in Colorado, a construction site in Wyoming, a rehabilitation hospital in Denver, a hospital in Phoenix, a presidential library in Iowa, an alternative high school in Wisconsin, as an English teacher with the Peace Corps in Turkey, and colleges in Nebraska and Illinois. He lived with his wife, Cathy, in Salida, Colorado until his death in 2014. He had three daughters from his first marriage.

All of Haruf’s novels take place in the fictional town of Holt, in eastern Colorado. Holt is based on Yuma, Colorado, one of Haruf’s residences in the early 1980s. His first novel, The Tie That Binds (1984), received a Whiting Award and a special Hemingway Foundation/PEN citation. Where You Once Belonged followed in 1990. A number of his short stories have appeared in literary magazines.

Plainsong was published in 1999 and became a U.S. bestseller. Verlyn Klinkenborg called it “”a novel so foursquare, so delicate and lovely, that it has the power to exalt the reader.”” Plainsong won the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award and the Maria Thomas Award in Fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction.

Eventide, a sequel to Plainsong, was published in 2004. Library Journal described the writing as “”honest storytelling that is compelling and rings true.”” Jonathan Miles saw it as a “”repeat performance”” and “”too goodhearted.””

On November 30, 2014, Haruf died at his home in Salida, Colorado at the age of 71. He died of interstitial lung disease.

(Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia courtesy Amazon bio.)

Book Club meeting — AI generated graphic courtesy Gemini

After You: A Novel by Jojo Moyes #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog #contemporarywomensfiction

Me Before You Trilogy Book 2

Award nominee

Book Blurb:

“You’re going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will.”

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future. . . .

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await.

My Review:

Okay, I’ll say it: I’m grudgingly become a Moyes fan, though I have to say I wasn’t thrilled when she immediately followed The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek with her own version she called The Giver of Stars.

After You by Jojo Moyes — After You-UK cover

Louisa manages to fall off a multi-story building and survive with the help of hunky, single Sam. (I don’t think that’s a spoiler here as this is an aging trilogy and I’m obviously the last to read it.) She’s survived the death of Will, barely, but now lives a mundane life in a sad job with a crappie boss and stupid dress code.

“Surprise, surprise. It’s only us girls who have to work looking like porno Munchkins.”

Her family feels she didn’t do enough to rally against Will’s suicide. She can’t stop mourning and is trying to move on by going to a support group of others who’ve experienced a catastrophic loss.

“…recalling the words of the Moving On Circle. Allow yourself moments of happiness.”

Then Lily appears at her door. She presents as the daughter of Will of whom he was unaware. Estranged from her mother and the family she created after the college affair that resulted in a baby, Lily is sixteen and the epitome of a teenager. (Gees, don’t those descriptions cause flashbacks!!)

The problem is: Lou is a mess. She’s not really handling her own situation, much less caring for a petulant, difficult teenager, alienated from her mother and most everyone else in her circle. (Reminds me of another book I just read with somewhat the same plot, except it’s a boy, not a girl teenager.)

Throw in a lip-licking offer of a job in New York, something to truly salivate over, and she definitely wrestled with a few sleepless nights. How would she take care of Lily and go to NY? She couldn’t. What about Sam—where was their relationship going? Can she truly chill the mourning over Will and be ready to proceed into the next chapter of her life?

So, anyway…given the circumstances, she does the best she can—which isn’t bad really having no experience with a child of her own and in the meantime, gets a little closer to Sam. Sam is an additional problem for her as her feelings have grown stronger for him and her fears multipled with conflict regarding Will and a possible new loss.

I enjoyed the dialogue, frequently including odd bits of humor dropped in to lighten the mood: “Oh, my God,” I said. “You’re like the ultimate female fantasy. “
“Shelves,” he said, deadpan. “You need shelves.”
”Oh, baby. Keep talking.”
”And home-cooked food.”
“That’s it. I just came.”

I was beginning to love how I perceived Book 2 would close. But no, wrong again. Seems like that also happened in Book 3 for me. Not into the whole rooftop scene, trying to imagine all ages climbing those fire stairs. And then the ending? I loved the Lily thing—nice compromise, but the job and Sam thing. Kind of a let-down for me.

Was it also for you?

In typical fashion around here, I read Still Me, the third in the trilogy, before I read either the first or second. I’m thinking I still preferred Someone Else’s Shoes, released in 2023, but this book, and the two parts I read of the trilogy is sadly, oddly compelling.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Contemporary Women Fiction, Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Women’s Domestic Life Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 978-0698152045
ASIN: B00TY3ZKG8
Print Length: 353 pages
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Jojo Moyes is a novelist and journalist. Her books include the bestsellers Me Before You, After You and Still Me, The Girl You Left Behind, The One Plus One and her short story collection Paris for One and Other Stories. The Giver of Stars is her most recent bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick. Her novels have been translated into forty-six languages, have hit the number one spot in twelve countries and have sold over thirty-eight million copies worldwide.

Me Before You has now sold over fourteen million copies worldwide and was adapted into a major film starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke. Jojo lives in Essex with her family.

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Book Blurb:

The first installment in Jeffery Deaver’s Colter Shaw series. The son of a survivalist family, Colter Shaw is an expert tracker. Now he makes a living as a “reward seeker,” traveling the country to help police solve crimes and locate missing persons for private citizens. “You’ve been abandoned. Escape if you can. Or die with dignity.” Hired by the father of a young woman who has gone missing in Silicon Valley, Shaw’s search takes him into the dark heart of America’s cutthroat billion-dollar video-game industry. When another person goes missing, Shaw must Is a madman bringing a twisted video game to life? Encountering eccentric designers, trigger-happy gamers, and ruthless tech titans, Shaw soon learns that he isn’t the only one on the someone is on his trail and closing fast….Named a Crime Novel of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, The Never Game proves once more why “Deaver is a genius when it comes to manipulation and deception” (Associated Press). [Goodreads blurb]

My Review:

OMG! Are you an older person with no concept of those crazy games the kids play on their devices with all kinds of paraphernalia so they are capable of speaking to other players on the other side of the world as they wipe out all the baddies with blasters?

I joined that club some years ago and have never caught up, at one point even trying to look into a “mature” game I could likewise play.

Not going to happen.

The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver — The Never Game – US cover

The Never Game featuring Colter Shaw plunks you square into that scene and explains it in a suspenseful mystery. Mercy! Shaw is not your average game player. He was raised off-grid with his brother and sister with their survivalist parents but with keen knowledge of his environment. Now he uses his skills as a gifted forensic tracker.

Shaw is making a living “finding” people and largely taps into an apparently lucrative rewards market. He lives in a Winnebago and has a small but effective support group. It’s fun the way he works “the percentages” whether or not the mission or question is viable. In this, the first in a new series, he is drawn into the gaming world.

Okay, I loved all the insights he discovers and explains, most of which blew me away. Did I retain any of it? You know I didn’t, but it was sure fun to read. There are theories and premises that, unfortunately in the six years it’s been since this was published, are eerily becoming the world in which we now live. AI scares the devil out of me, while fascinating me as well.

Is there any romance? Just a touch for those who need that in their novels. Have you heard of The Whisper Man? (The Whispering Man?) I have. There was a 2019 movie, right? And I believe another is coming to your screens soon. Well, there is an interesting and popular game with the same basic idea…and it’s incorporated into the narrative.

Don’t take my word for it. This is a book you might have missed but shouldn’t have. Check it out.

The CE read a Deaver novella in January of this year, Downstate, and greatly enjoy it. I’m gonna have to start paying more attention. Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thrillers, Mysteries, Suspense
Publisher: Penguin Audio
ASIN: B07N317FK9
Listening Length: 11 hrs 20 mins
Narrator: Kaleo Griffith
Publication Date: May 14, 2019
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)

Title Links: Amazon-US

Amazon-UK

The Author: Jeffery Deaver is an international number-one bestselling author. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists around the world. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into over twenty-five languages. He has served two terms as president of Mystery Writers of America, and was recently named a Grand Master of MWA, whose ranks include Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Mary Higgins Clark and Walter Mosely.

The author of over forty novels, three collections of short stories and a nonfiction law book, and a lyricist of a country-western album, he’s received or been shortlisted for dozens of awards. His “The Bodies Left Behind” was named Novel of the Year by the International Thriller Writers association, and his Lincoln Rhyme thriller “The Broken Window” and a stand-alone, “Edge,” were also nominated for that prize. “The Garden of Beasts” won the Steel Dagger from the Crime Writers Association in England. He’s also been nominated for eight Edgar Awards by the MWA.

Deaver has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, the Strand Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Raymond Chandler Lifetime Achievement Award in Italy.

October

The Tenth Trail Mark by Joe Looby #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog #WarFiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A WWII STORY OF COURAGE AND LOVE
For fans of The Nightingale, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and Band of Brothers

In the dead of night, Adirondack woodsman Johnnie Grey leads the legendary 10th Mountain Division up an ice cliff the Germans call unconquerable—a linchpin of the brutal Gothic Line. One slip means oblivion. One victory could rip the German front wide open and help liberate Italy.

Johnnie’s survival instincts—honed hunting through blizzards and the Great Depression to feed his family—are his greatest weapon. But his heart belongs to Ellie, the West Virginia farm girl who slips a silver St. Andrew’s Cross around his neck: a trail mark of love meant to guide him home.

Now, under a relentless “ring of fire” artillery barrage, Johnnie must gamble everything on a wild, audacious plan.

Inspired by true events, The Tenth Trail Mark is a sweeping novel of courage, sacrifice, and a love strong enough to light even the darkest ascent.

His Review:

The Adirondacks are a mountain range that held back the early settlers in most areas of the east coast of the United States. Life was very difficult and even the kids were expected to contribute to the family’s food. Johnnie Grey is born in the summer of 1923 and hunts every day for game to help with this need. He becomes very good at reading game trails and finding squirrels and other game for the table.

Prior to the United States entering the Second World War, the former site of the 1932 Olympics near Lake Placid, New York, was the playground of Johnnie and his new best friend Darby. Darby was from a well-to-do family but was a fast friend of Johnnie’s. Together they learned the art of skiing and mountaineering. A former 1932 Olympic national skier, Rolf Monson, taught them the basics of skiing. In 1938, the National Ski Patrol was formed by Charles “Minnie” Minot. Johnnie became a member of the Ski Patrol as an extension of his mountain upbringing.

Germany began to make demands of the countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway to provide personnel and supplies for their military moving eastward. The greatest ally was the weather in these countries. At 45 degrees below zero, the fuels in the transports and tanks froze and the military was stalled. Johnnie tried to go to Canada to join the military and fight Hitler. Instead, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and together with Darby was able to send his dollar-a-day salary home to help with his struggling family.

The 10^th Mountain Division was formed utilizing ski patrollers and others who understood how to navigate and function in the cruel winter conditions of the cold New York winters of Lake Placid. In September of 1942, Johnnie Grey was one of 10,000 to 14,000 men who volunteered for this specialized training. Training was at Camp Hale in the Colorado Rockies. Elevation was very high and winter very brutal.

The 10^th Mountain Division was instrumental in winning the war in Europe. This book is an excellent review of the hardships faced and overcome by a very special group of American soldiers. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: War & Military Action Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: 10TH Mountain Films, LLC
ISBN-13: 979-8999130198
ASIN: B0FD84QY86
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Joe Looby, an avid hiker, skier, and veteran, writes with inspiration from his late father—a decorated WWII 10th Mountain Division soldier awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart at the Battle of Mount Belvedere. He lives near Charleston, SC, and often returns to Lake Placid, NY.

Ain’t Nobody’s Fool by Martha Ackmann #BookReview #DollyParton #BiographiesofComposers&Musicians

The Life and Times of Dolly Parton

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A larger-than-life new biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton.

In Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann chronicles the life of an American Original. From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Dolly Parton has exceeded everyone’s expectations except her own. During a time when the Beatles set the standard for contemporary music, Dolly appeared on a local country music television show that her high school classmates thought was pure cornpone. The day after her high school graduation, she boarded a bus for Nashville, but record executives turned her down. One said her voice sounded like a screech owl.

When Dolly finally got her foot in the door, her talent and focus catapulted her to the top of country charts, the pop world, and movie stardom. Yet her success came at a price. Shunned by many in Nashville who saw her ambition as a betrayal of her country music roots, Dolly became the target of death threats, lawsuits, and a judge who threatened to throw her in jail. She nearly collapsed on-stage and later succumbed to depression that pushed her to the brink, but she refused to be counted out and came back stronger than ever developing Dollywood, the amusement park that became the economic engine of East Tennessee, and founding the Imagination Library that provides free books to children around the world. Her philanthropy to health organizations led to creation of the Moderna COVID vaccine. And, finally, she returned to her roots, recording bluegrass albums that became the most celebrated of her unparalleled 60-year career.

Ain’t Nobody’s Fool is a deep dive into the social, historical, and personal forces that made Dolly Parton one of the most beloved and unifying figures in public life and includes interviews with friends, family members, school mates, Nashville neighbors, members of her band, studio musicians, producers, and many others. It also features never before seen photographs and unearthed documents shedding light on her family’s hardscrabble life. More than anything, Martha Ackmann’s fresh and animated new book proves Dolly Parton knows just who she is and she ain’t nobody’s fool.

His Review:

Being raised with a very poor family in the heart of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee was not a bad thing. Little Dolly’s family had very little but the compensations were unabridged love and family values. A Parton family name meant many brothers and sisters, parents, and grandparents.

Being “dirt-poor” is the memory of many youths from the Tennessee mountain country but family was always there and love and nurturing always supporting. Dolly Parton was surrounded by family and shared everything available. She was a child prodigy and taught herself music and how to play by ear. Her pure tones were always present as she grew. Her family encouraged her musical development.

The polished multi-talented performer that is Dolly Parton is a gift from God and those Smoky Mountain families. She worked hard to become noticed and when it happened, she never looked back. There are those who feel they were instrumental in getting her recognized. This has some truth but her talents and stardom are the result of a lady who never took no for an answer.

Much of her music is derived from the struggles and determination of her youth. She is a self-made superstar and her songs a testament to the determination to escape poverty. I felt honored to read her story and mentally meet a person of her ability. Thank you for the journey! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Reader Copy. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Biographies of Composers & Musicians, Biographies & Memoirs of Women, Composer & Musician Biographies
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1250286864
ASIN: B0F5PB7WBG
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: December 30, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Martha Ackmann is a journalist and author who writes about women who have changed America. Her essays have appeared in The Atlantic, the Paris Review, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She also is a frequent commentator for New England Public Radio, and has been featured on CNN, National Public Radio, and the BBC. Martha is the recipient of fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her books include: The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight; Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, the First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League; and These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson. –This text refers to the hardcover edition. [Amazon]

Ms Ackmann was born in St Louis, Missouri and currently resides in western Massachusetts. Website: https://marthaackmann.com [Goodreads]

Happy Autumn Weekend to you from Rosepoint Publishing